The Los Angeles LGBT Center and LA County’s Department of Public Health reached a temporary agreement on Tuesday to restore funding for the center’s free STD and HIV testing program.
On Monday, the center announced that the county was going to cut funding that covers the laboratory fees to process the STD and HIV tests. As part of its public announcement, the LGBT Center encouraged community members to contact their local county supervisor and the DPH to urge them to restore funding.
By Tuesday morning, the LGBT Center announced that it had reached an agreement with the Department of Public Health to restore funding through March.
“With these parameters we can keep the funding going as needed to continue and give us some time to clear negotiations,” LGBT Center co-director Dr. Ward Carpenter said.
LAist has reached out to the Department of Public Health for comment and we'll update the story when we hear back.
In recent years, L.A. County has seen record high numbers for STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.
GO DEEPER:
Long Beach Has Alarmingly High Rates Of HIV And Other STDs
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Data (California Department of Public Health)
